Patience is a Virtue
by SilverC051
Summary: "Please don't tell anyone else this," she said seriously, "But Barry and Iris are trying to have a baby."- Cisco's confused look morphed into a grin then. - "That's awesome!" he said happily, "We're going to have a little Barry Junior running around here!"
1. Baby Fever

**Important:**

 **I started writing this before the end of season 3. I don't know how things are going to turn out with Savitar, but this is assuming that Barry defeats him, and Iris doesn't die. Caitlin isn't Killer Frost either, and everyone's happy, for the most part. It's a year later, after Savitar's defeat. Barry and Iris are married and are finally ready to start a family.**

 **This is more than just a oneshot fluff piece! This is going to be a full-length story, and it will cover everything from Barry and Iris trying to get pregnant to them becoming parents. I've seen a lot of pregnancy fics but none that are M-rated and that cover the** ** _entire_** **story, so I decided to write this.**

 **This is meant to be a very mature story. It contains explicit smut, but I really hate using that word to describe it. Not that I have anything against smut, but this really isn't about sex. It's about Barry and Iris starting a family. The sex scenes in this story are somewhat dirty, yes, but they're also meant to be beautiful. I know I could have just left it all out, but really, sex is kind of a fundamental part of making a baby, and to cut it out of the story would just feel inauthentic to me. Also, Barry and Iris have sex. They just do. It's implied in the show, and it's a healthy part of any adult relationship. It's** ** _normal_** **, so I'm not going to pretend like it doesn't happen or justify it any further than I do in this AN.**

 **I realize the story will get less readers this way, and some people may not be comfortable with those scenes, but I decided to keep them in the story.**

 **There will also be a lot of awkward moments throughout the story. It's not a story of mine if it doesn't contain some awkwardness. To be candid, most of the awkwardness will stem from Caitlin's involvement in the plot. I'm sure you can guess where this is heading. To put it briefly, even with skipping the sex scenes, this story will require a certain level of maturity to read. This is** ** _reality_** **, not just a fluff piece.**

 **Warning: There will be conflicts in this fic. As I already said, this is not simply Westallen fluff, and not everything is going to work out the way Barry and Iris want it to. There's an actual plot, and it's not a particularly happy story, but I will PROMISE right now that it will have a happy ending.**

* * *

 **Baby Fever**

* * *

Iris couldn't help but notice it. They seemed to be everywhere she looked. The grocery store, the bank, just about every public place she went to. Hell, even a few of her coworkers were having them.

Babies.

Iris had never pegged herself as the type to suddenly come down with baby fever, but she couldn't deny it any longer. She wanted one. She wanted one with Barry. She wanted it so badly it hurt. She and Barry had spoken briefly a few times about starting a family one day. They both knew they wanted it, but Iris wanted it _now_.

She wondered if maybe it was too soon. She and Barry had only been married for a year, after all. On the other hand, they were both stupid in love. They both had stable jobs, and Barry had even gotten a significant pay raise this last year. Their loft was big enough and had an empty room that she couldn't wait to turn into a nursery. She had caught Barry staring into the room more than once, and she couldn't help but wonder if he was thinking along the same lines she was.

Most importantly, though, things were _safe_. Savitar had been defeated over a year ago, and since getting married, no new evil villain had stepped in to take his place. Sure, Barry had faced countless metahumans over the past year, but it wasn't anything the Flash and Kid Flash couldn't handle.

Iris didn't know why she was so nervous about bringing it up to Barry, though. It's not like they hadn't discussed it before. All their discussions, however, had been more about starting a family _later_. They hadn't even been full discussions, really. They had been mostly just brief little comments here and there. They hadn't exactly sat down and thought of baby names or made any real plans to start trying. Every time they talked about starting a family, it had been more geared towards the _distant_ future.

Iris didn't see the point in waiting anymore, though. What were they waiting for?!

All of this was running through Iris's mind as she looked at Barry, watching him flash around the kitchen, making them breakfast.

"God, I wish they made kitchen appliances for speedsters," he chuckled, as he flipped a few pancakes, "I can flash around all I want, but I can't make things cook faster."

Iris laughed.

"It's good for you," she pointed out, "It's a good patience exercise, having to wait for things."

Barry laughed and shook his head, looking down at the stove. Iris bit her lip, staring at her husband's back. Now was as good a time as any.

"Speaking of waiting for things," she said slowly, "I've been thinking…"

Barry flashed around the kitchen, cleaning up the mess he had made. He came to a standstill then, setting a plate of pancakes in front of her.

"What about?" he asked casually, leaning over the counter, smiling at her.

Iris took a deep breath.

"About…starting a family," she said quietly.

The smile slid from Barry's face, and his eyes widened.

"Now?" he asked in surprise.

Iris shrugged.

"Why not?" she asked, "I've just been thinking lately. We've been married for a year. We're both financially stable. We have a good home. And most importantly, things are quiet in the city, and there haven't been any major Flash villains appearing lately. What are we waiting for, Barry?"

Barry gave her an uneasy smile.

"What if something happens, though?" he asked seriously, "What if a new Flash villain _does_ appear?"

"That's _always_ going to be a possibility," Iris pointed out, "Whether we wait or not, there's always going to be a chance that a new villain will rear his head."

Barry looked down at the counter.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Please don't apologize, Barry," Iris said quickly, "I understand your responsibilities as the Flash. I know it's a part of you, and I _love_ that part. The only point I'm trying to make is that the risk is always going to be there, no matter how long we wait, and we shouldn't let it scare us into waiting to start the family we both want and deserve."

Barry smiled sadly at her.

"I _do_ want this," he said quietly, "I want it more than you know. I just…"

"You're just looking for reasons not to because you're scared," Iris said gently, "That's _normal_ , Barry. It's not just because you're the Flash. Starting a family is both scary and exciting for _everyone_."

Barry gave her a small smile.

"I just don't know if I'm ready for that, yet," he said honestly, "To be a…a father."

Iris smiled and took his hand.

"Barry, if anyone's cut out for fatherhood, it's you," she said firmly, "You're going to be an _amazing_ dad."

Barry squeezed her hand and smiled at her, tears filling his eyes.

"I've always wanted a family with you, Iris," he said happily, "It's all I've ever wanted."

Iris grinned at him.

"So, what are we waiting for?"

* * *

They did everything right, everything the way they were supposed to. They didn't just start trying right away. Iris stopped having her regular glass of wine every Friday night, and she went on a certified prenatal diet. No more pancakes. She stopped taking the special birth control pills Caitlin had formulated for her, and she and Barry had switched back to the friction-proof condoms they had used before. They weren't _physically_ trying yet. Iris had read online that it was important to prepare your body first _before_ getting pregnant, and she wanted to do everything by the book.

Caitlin noticed.

"You don't need them?" she asked in confusion, holding the usual contraceptive pills she normally made for Iris.

"No," Iris said, unable to keep the smile off her face, "I don't."

Caitlin frowned and set the pills down on the cortex desk.

"Why not?" she asked, "Are you and Barry…fighting, or something?"

Iris shook her head and smiled, trying not to laugh at the idea. She and Barry rarely ever fought, and when they did, it was usually about stupid little things. Their sex life had always been perfectly healthy—maybe a little _too_ healthy, if anyone was asking.

Caitlin quickly put two and two together then.

"You're trying to get pregnant," she said quietly, her lips quickly turning up into a smile.

Iris grinned at her and nodded.

"Don't tell anyone else, yet," she said, "Barry and I want it to be a surprise, and well, we don't really want the extra pressure, especially from my dad. He's always been so excited to have grandkids."

"My lips are sealed," Caitlin said, smiling widely.

She flipped into doctor mode then.

"How have you been eating?" she asked quickly, "Are you taking any kind of vitamins? What kinds? How long have you and Barry been trying?"

"We aren't trying yet," Iris told her, "I've been off birth control for almost a month, and he's been using those…special condoms you gave us. I've been trying to get my body healthy first. I've been doing what all the books say, eating a lot of leafy greens and foods high in vitamin B. I've been taking a normal prenatal vitamin, but if you have anything better, that would be great."

Caitlin smiled at her.

"It sounds like you're doing everything right," she said, "I'll start working on a special prenatal vitamin for you. Barry's powers obviously change things, and you'll need something with a little more zinc in it most likely. Other than that, it sounds like you've done your research and are doing everything you should be."

Iris grinned at her.

"Barry and I are going to start actually trying soon," she said happily.

"I'm sure Barry's so excited," Caitlin said, smiling widely.

"He is," Iris said, nodding happily, "I think he's also a little nervous, though."

"That's normal," Caitlin assured her dismissively, "Most guys get nervous about it."

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Iris laughed, "I think he'll probably be more nervous when I'm _actually_ pregnant. I caught him reading a pregnancy book the other day."

Caitlin laughed.

"Sounds like Barry," she chuckled.

She smiled warmly at Iris then.

"I'm so happy for you two."

* * *

"Is this comfortable for you?" Barry asked nervously, as he readjusted the pillow under Iris's hips, "I read it's supposed to help with conception. It's not scientifically proven, though, so I was a little skeptical about it. Still, I thought it was worth a try, but if it's uncomfortable, I can—"

"Barry," Iris laughed, cutting him off, "This is fine."

"Okay," he said quietly, letting out a shaky breath.

"You're so sexy when you're nervous," Iris giggled.

"I'm not nervous," Barry said, blushing indignantly, "It's just…it's not every day a guy gets to impregnate his amazingly beautiful wife."

"You're nervous," Iris persisted, "You don't have to be, though. Just do what you always do, _Flash_."

That simple phrase had the exact effect she had been hoping for. Whenever Barry was hesitant in bed, whenever he was unsure of himself or they were trying out something new, all she had to do was call him by his alter ego, and his confidence would come surging back to him. She didn't know if her husband was even aware of her little trick, but she knew one thing.

It worked every time.

Barry smiled and shifted in between her legs to lean over and kiss her. The kiss was slow and sensual at first, their lips moving together the way they always did. There was something different about it tonight, though. There was a buzzing excitement coursing through both of them as Barry kissed her. She could feel his manhood quickly growing beneath his boxers, and his breathing started to pick up as he deepened the kiss, his tongue gently teasing into her mouth.

A soft moan escaped Iris's lips through the kiss, and the sound seemed to spur Barry on. His hands trailed down her body, lingering for a moment on her exposed breasts before sliding down past her navel. His fingers played with the hemline of her panties for a moment, his mouth not leaving hers.

Barry moaned when Iris reached between them and palmed him through his boxers. He ground down against her hand, his breaths quickly turning into shallow pants.

"Iris," he sighed when she reached into his boxers to stroke him gently, "Not tonight."

Barry had always enjoyed the perks of having no refractory period. She often pleasured him at least once before he ever even entered her, but she knew why he didn't want that now.

He wanted to get her pregnant.

Barry's hands slid underneath her panties and removed them in one swift movement. His mouth quickly latched onto one of her nipples, and he spent a good amount of time teasing it with his tongue before moving to the other, seeing how many sweet moans he could elicit from her. For the fastest man alive, Barry was surprisingly slow. He always took his time, making sure to warm her body up and help her reach optimal arousal before proceeding. Barry had always been a selfless lover. He always put her pleasure before his own.

And tonight was no different.

Iris's breath hitched in her throat when Barry's mouth traveled lower, passing quickly over her naval until his mouth was where she wanted him most. He paused then, his hot breath on her center causing her desire for him to intensify.

"Barry," she whined, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Barry let out a breathy laugh. He always enjoyed teasing her like this, until she was aching for him. Finally, Barry's mouth went to where she needed it most, and Iris's eyes rolled back in her head. He was so good at this, applying just the right amount of pressure, as if he could read her mind. His tongue vibrated lightly against her center, and Iris saw stars. For such a sweet guy, Barry had a sinful tongue, and even after being married to him for a year, Iris still found it surprising how good he was when he did this for her.

"Barry!" Iris cried as she came, rolling waves of pleasure crashing through her, over and over again.

Barry gasped and pulled away from her then. He ran his hands gently along her inner thighs as she recovered from her orgasm. As soon as Iris could think straight again, she leaned forward and reached for Barry's boxers. She pulled them down gently, and his member sprang free.

Barry smiled at her, and Iris didn't know how someone so sweet could suddenly look so seductive with just one smile. Her bashful, fumbling, unassuming Barry disappeared in the bedroom, and instead, a different Barry took his place. Right here. This was where the Flash and Barry Allen met and became one person, and she was the only one lucky enough to get to see it. This Barry was hers and hers alone.

Barry leaned over her, bringing himself up to kiss her again. She could taste herself on his tongue, and it caused a warm feeling to pool low in her abdomen. Barry pulled away and paused then, his eyes inches from hers, both of them breathing heavily as they shared the same air. The two of them stared into each other's eyes, both feeling the same overwhelming excitement, as Barry lined himself up and slowly slid into her. No condom. No pills. Nothing between them. Just Barry and Iris. It was exhilarating.

It was beautiful.

Barry kept up a slow pace, slowly pulling out of her and then sinking back in. The pillow under her hips allowed for just the right angle for him to hit the right spot every time, and even if he was moving at an agonizingly slow pace, Iris could feel her pleasure building for a second time already.

"Faster, Barry," Iris whispered when he didn't speed up, " _Faster_."

"I'm getting there," Barry laughed.

She laughed with him.

They had grown comfortable with each other. Iris wasn't shy about telling her exactly what she wanted, and Barry was now perfectly comfortable with denying her requests, but only so he could drag it out longer for her, so he could make her release that much sweeter. Slowly, Barry picked up his pace, establishing a steady rhythm with his thrusts. Iris clutched the bedsheets as she felt her pleasure intensify, Barry hitting the right spot every time.

It was a surreal experience, having Barry inside her like this. It was different from any other night because this time, they weren't just making love. They were making a baby.

"Baaarry," Iris moaned as his pace quickened, " _Faster_. Babe, go _faster_."

"No," Barry gasped between thrusts, panting heavily, "No powers. I…I want to do this the normal way."

Iris's heart swelled at those words. Barry cared so much about this. He wanted to get everything just right.

Iris's grip on the bedsheets tightened as Barry thrust harder into her. Her hands left the bedsheets then and gripped his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin as she pulled him closer to her. Barry buried his face in her neck, and Iris soon felt the familiar swooping sensation low in her stomach, the pleasure continuing to build.

"Barry," she panted, their breathing in sync with each other's as Barry continued at the same fast pace, "Barry."

She reached her release like a dam breaking open, waves of pleasure crashing over her, and like a dutiful husband, Barry continued stroking her through her orgasm. He was then quick to follow her over the edge.

It was simple sex, but it was perhaps the best sex they had ever had, better than their wedding night.

And like their wedding night, Barry cried when he came. A single tear rolled down his face as he released into her with a sharp gasp. His hips stuttered to a stop as his seed started to fill her. It felt like heaven for both of them. It was euphoria.

It was perfect.


	2. The Blue Line

**The Blue Line**

* * *

"Barry, would you _please_ just sit down," Iris begged, "Your speed pacing is making _me_ nervous."

Barry stopped in his tracks and looked at her.

"Sorry," he said, moving to sit down on the edge of the bathtub, his knee bouncing frantically.

He looked at his watch again.

"This is taking _forever_ ," he groaned.

"Barry, it's only three minutes," Iris laughed.

"Yeah, but I'm a speedster," he said impatiently.

He stood up again without thinking about it, but Iris pushed him back into a sitting position and patted his knee.

"Patience is a virtue," she said, trying hard not to laugh at him.

Her husband looked like a little kid on time out.

"You know, that saying is getting really old," Barry sighed.

He looked at his watch again.

"It's time!" he said excitedly, jumping up from his seat again.

Iris rolled her eyes and laughed at him, but she couldn't blame him. She was anxious, too, as she grabbed the pregnancy test off the bathroom counter. She turned it over with excitement, and her eyes quickly landed on the little blue line on the test.

One line, not two.

Iris's bubble of excitement deflated like a balloon in her chest.

"Well?" Barry asked excitedly, staring at the test in her hand.

Iris sighed and threw the test into the trashcan.

"I'm not pregnant," she said bitterly, her voice sounding disappointed even to her own ears.

What was worse than her own disappointment was seeing Barry's. The smile slid from his face so fast upon hearing her words. The crushed look on his face made the whole thing so much worse.

"Oh," he said softly.

Iris felt her stomach churning. She felt like she was letting him down.

"Maybe we took the test too soon?" he suggested hopefully.

Iris shook her head.

"I waited two weeks," she said quietly, "The test is accurate."

"Well, maybe it's expired or something," Barry said, grabbing the box off the counter.

Iris smiled sadly at him as he read the label. He wanted this so bad.

"Barry," she said softly.

"I'll get you another one," he said suddenly, and then he was gone.

He reappeared a few seconds later, flashing into the room to deposit six different pregnancy tests on the counter.

"Barry," she said sadly, standing up and putting a hand on his shoulder, "It's okay. I wasn't expecting it to happen on the first try."

"Just take another test," Barry pleaded, "Just one more."

Iris humored him, not once, but two more times. After three negative tests, Barry was finally forced to accept the truth.

"It's okay," he said optimistically, but she could still hear the sadness in his voice, "We'll just keep trying."

Iris gave him a sad smile. This was why she loved him so much.

…..

The next month, they were met with the same disappointment, though. They were met with the same single blue line. Barry stared at it and didn't say anything this time. Neither of them said anything. They just threw the test away and hoped the next month would be the month.

It wasn't.

Iris stared at the blue line with tears filling her eyes. Barry wasn't there. She had decided to take the test before he got home this time. She thought it would be easier by herself, without Barry there to give her that same disappointed look. She felt like a failure.

It had to be her.

Barry had _superpowers_ and superhealing. If there was some sort of problem, it had to be with her. Barry would never blame her, though. If he were here, he would be instantly spouting off the statistics, telling her that it took most couples up to six months to get pregnant.

They weren't most couples, though. She had thought they would be different for some reason. She had thought they would get pregnant right away, but they hadn't. Now, it was the third month, and she was sitting here, staring at another single blue line.

"Iris," she heard Barry call as he walked in through the front door of their loft, "Babe, are you home?"

Iris quickly wiped the tears from her face and threw the pregnancy test in the garbage. She rearranged herself in the mirror before opening the bathroom door, and when she did, she came face to face with Barry. He was standing there, smiling widely at her.

"Are you ready?" he asked happily.

He looked so excited, a pregnancy test clutched in his hand. Iris couldn't bear to tell him.

"What's wrong?" he asked then, the smile sliding from his face.

"I already took it," she said quietly, hardly able to get the words out, "It…it was negative."

Barry's shoulders slumped, and he gave Iris that look, the same disappointed look that he had had for the last two months. Iris knew it wasn't directed at her, but it was hard not to feel that way sometimes. He then quickly managed to pull his usual reassuring smile up on his face again.

"It's alright, Iris," he said, pulling her into a hug, "It's okay. We'll just keep trying."

"I'm so sorry to disappoint you," she murmured into his shoulder, her breath hitching uncontrollably.

Barry pulled away from the hug then and held her at arm's length, his hands resting on her shoulders. He had a confused look on his face.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I can't get pregnant," Iris cried, "I feel…I feel like I'm letting you down."

"Oh, baby, no," Barry said, pulling her into another hug.

He kissed the top of her head.

"Please, don't do that, Iris," he murmured into her hair, "Don't blame yourself. I didn't mean to put pressure on you."

"I just…I know how bad you want this," she cried into his shoulder, "I know how bad you want a family, and I…I can't give you one."

"Iris, it's only been three months," Barry reminded her, "It's _way_ too early to start getting discouraged. Don't _ever_ feel like you're letting me down. I didn't mean to make you feel that way. I'm just so excited to start a family with you, I get carried away sometimes."

Iris sniffed and wiped her eyes as they broke the hug. Barry smiled at her and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before cupping the side of her face with his palm.

"Remember what you're always telling me?" he said, a warm smile on his face.

Iris couldn't help it. She smiled, too.

"Patience is a virtue."

* * *

And that patience would be tried for two more months. Two more months went by, and nothing happened. They kept getting that same stupid blue line. Iris had already gone in to see Caitlin and had every kind of fertility test possible done. They were both relieved to find out there were no problems. Iris was extremely fertile.

That got Barry thinking then.

What if the problem was _him_?

After the last pregnancy test was yet another negative, Barry couldn't wait any longer. He went to see Caitlin, himself.

"Barry, you're probably the most fertile person on the planet," Caitlin laughed when he asked her to run a fertility test on him.

Barry sighed and sat down in the med bay.

"It's been _five months_ , Caitlin," he said in anguish, "We've been trying for a long time now, and I'm starting to worry."

"How often are you and Iris intimate?" Caitlin asked then.

Barry blushed and looked at the floor.

"Almost every night now," he said quietly, "At least, for half of the month. During her ovulation."

"Okay," Caitlin said thoughtfully.

"You don't think…" Barry said quietly, "It's because of my powers? Do you? What if my powers make my DNA incompatible? What if I just can't have children?"

"That shouldn't be the case," Caitlin said firmly, "You have a gene mutation, Barry. It's not like you're not human."

"Well, then what is it?" Barry asked in frustration, "Iris is perfectly fertile, so the problem has to be _me_."

"Barry, you and Iris haven't even reached the six months point, yet," Caitlin pointed out gently, "Most people don't even come in for fertility testing until they've been trying for a full _year_."

"Well, I'm not willing to wait that long," Barry said firmly, "I want to be tested _now_."

"Of course," Caitlin said understandingly, "I'll run any tests you want, Barry, but I'm almost positive the results are going to be fine. _Better_ than fine."

"I just need to know," Barry said quietly.

Caitlin nodded and then reached for something. She placed a specimen container in Barry's hands, and Barry blushed.

"I'm sure you don't need me to tell you what to do with that," she said lightly.

Barry nodded, his face bright red. He sighed and stood up from his seat before flashing to the STAR Labs bathroom. He returned less than a minute later, the specimen cup no longer empty.

"That was…fast," Caitlin said, raising her eyebrows.

Barry sighed and rolled his eyes.

"I can take my time when I want to," he said, somewhat defensively, "Just ask Iris."

"Hey, I didn't ask for details," she laughed lightly, as Barry set the cup down on the counter.

She frowned in thought then.

"Actually, I have been wondering for years," she said, "How does your superhealing affect your refrac—?"

"I didn't come here to discuss my sex life," Barry groaned, blushing a deeper red.

"Fair enough," she laughed, "Sorry, I was just curious. At least I finally got a sample from you. I've been trying to think of a way to ask you for one for years."

Barry laughed and shook his head at her, his blush reaching his ears now.

"Can we please not discuss my sperm like we're discussing the weather?" he requested.

Caitlin laughed, blushing herself now.

"Sure," she said, "I'll analyze it and get a sperm count for you, okay?"

"Okay," Barry sighed.

He felt a little better now, but he was going to be anxious until Caitlin got the results back to him. Until then, he would just have to deal with the sick feeling in his gut, the guilty feeling that came with thinking the problem laid in him.

When Barry got home, it was to find Iris waiting for him.

In her underwear.

"What are you doing?" he asked her, a smile forming on his face as his eyes raked over his wife, laying undressed for him on the couch.

"What's it look like?" Iris asked, a seductive smile playing at the corners of her lips.

"It's only the twenty-first," Barry said in confusion, "We don't have to try again for another week."

"Who says that's the only time we can have sex?" Iris replied, a smile still playing on her lips.

Barry's face broke out into a grin.

"I love you," he laughed, before joining her on the couch.

It was exactly what they both needed. For the last five months, their sex life had revolved solely around making a baby, and with each month that passed and they were faced with yet another disappointment, the pressure grew. There was now so much pressure, so much _desperation_ , whenever they were intimate, it had started to become more of a chore than it was a pleasure. It was starting to affect their marriage, and neither of them wanted that.

This was exactly what they needed.

* * *

"I'm so bored," Cisco groaned, walking into Caitlin's office and plopping down in a chair, "Who would have thought I would actually _want_ another metahuman to show up? This is getting dull."

Caitlin laughed as she hunched over her microscope.

"The city _has_ been quiet lately," she agreed, "But that's a good thing. It gives Barry a break and allows him to focus on other things."

"I suppose," Cisco sighed.

He looked over at her microscope then.

"What are you working on now?" he asked curiously.

"Just another sample from Barry," she said, completely absorbed in her work.

"How many blood samples can you possibly look at?" Cisco said, rolling his eyes.

He walked over and looked at the specimen container she had sitting on the desk next to her. His eyes widened.

"Oh, my God!" he shouted suddenly, "Is that his—?!"

"His sperm," Caitlin said calmly, "It's for science, Cisco. It's just like any other sample I've analyzed."

"I can't believe Barry agreed to _giving_ it to you," Cisco said incredulously.

"Actually, he _asked_ me to look at it for him," Caitlin said offhandedly.

Cisco blanched.

"Why the hell would Barry do _that_?!" he asked in confusion.

Caitlin sighed and looked up from her microscope.

"He wanted a sperm count," she told him simply, "He wanted to know how fertile he is."

Cisco's eyebrows furrowed, and Caitlin sighed.

"Please don't tell anyone else this," she said seriously, "But Barry and Iris are trying to have a baby."

Cisco's confused look morphed into a grin then.

"That's awesome!" he said happily, "We're going to have a little Barry Junior running around here!"

Caitlin gave him a small smile.

"Hopefully," she said quietly, "He and Iris have been trying for almost five months now."

The smile slid from Cisco's face then.

"But that's not that long, though," he said reasonably, "Doesn't it take a while?"

"That's what I told them," Caitlin said, nodding, "But I think they were expecting it to happen sooner. To be honest, I was, too, with Barry's powers and all. I've already tested Iris, and there aren't any problems with her."

"Barry thinks he's the problem then?" Cisco asked, frowning.

"He's worried he might be," Caitlin said seriously, "He just wanted me to make sure."

"Wow," Cisco said quietly, "That must be killing him. If anyone deserves a family, it's Barry."

Caitlin nodded sadly in agreement.

"They didn't want anyone else to know they've been trying," she said seriously, "They're already under enough pressure, so I need you to promise me…"

"Mum's the word," Cisco said with a small smile.


	3. The Return of the Flash

**The Return of the Flash**

* * *

"We shouldn't wait so long to have these dinner nights," Joe said happily, looking around the table, "It feels like I haven't seen you two in forever."

"Sorry, Joe," Barry said, "We've just been a little busy."

"Busy with what?" Wally laughed, "There have been hardly any metahumans lately. Plus, you've been skipping out on Flash duty almost every night now."

"Sorry, Wally," Barry said sincerely, "If you ever need a hand with anything, you know you can always call me, right?"

"Hey, I never said Kid Flash couldn't handle it," Wally said, raising his hands, "I'm just saying that I've noticed you've been busy doing other things."

Barry nodded and shared a brief look with Iris.

"So, what's new with you guys?" Barry asked then, changing the subject after he noticed the look on Iris's face.

She wasn't smiling. Instead, she had a somewhat withdrawn look on her face.

Barry felt awful. He knew he was the cause of her sullenness. Caitlin hadn't gotten back to them with his results yet, but he knew Iris had to be blaming him. He couldn't get her pregnant. Barry felt like a complete failure for a husband, and he had a churning feeling in his stomach as Wally started telling them about an engineering project he was working on for school.

Barry glanced at Iris again. She was staring at the table, hardly even listening to Wally. He reached over and grabbed her hand under the table. Iris looked at him then. He gave her a small smile and rubbed small circles into her hand with his thumb. She managed a small smile back at him before looking back at Wally again.

It didn't take long for the other two to notice that something was up, though.

"Okay, what's wrong?" Joe asked seriously, when most of them were almost done with their meals.

"Nothing," Iris muttered, pulling a small, forced smile onto her face.

"Don't tell me it's nothing," Joe said immediately, "I can tell something's wrong. You've been quiet all night."

"It really isn't a big deal," Iris said, shaking her head dismissively, "I'm just under a lot of stress at work. That's all."

"You two should take a vacation then," Joe suggested casually, "You two never went on a honeymoon, after all. There was too much damage to repair after Barry's fight with Savitar."

"That's a great idea," Barry said, smiling at Iris.

Iris just shook her head.

"I've got too much going on at work," she said, "Now's not the best time for a vacation."

"You should really make time," Joe said seriously.

His lips turned up in a small smile then.

"Maybe you two could finally get started on giving me a grandchild," he said hopefully.

Iris's breath hitched then, and she covered her mouth.

"S-sorry," she choked, quickly standing up from her seat.

She made her way to the bathroom in a hurry then and closed the door. Joe looked questioningly at Barry, who buried his face in his hands with a heavy sigh.

"What did I say?" Joe asked, completely baffled.

Barry sighed and looked up from his hands. Joe and Wally were both staring at him in confusion.

"We've been trying, Joe," Barry whispered sadly.

Joe looked confused for another second longer, but then his face rearranged into a look of understanding.

"And?" he asked quietly.

Barry shook his head.

"And nothing," he said quietly, "We've been trying for sixth months with no luck."

Joe let out a heavy sigh and looked at Barry with sad eyes.

"Oh," he said quietly.

"What's the problem?" Wally asked.

Barry sighed and looked down at the table.

"We don't know yet," he said quietly, "But I think it's me."

Joe and Wally didn't say anything for a moment, and a sad silence passed over the table.

"Did you go see Caitlin?" Joe asked after a moment.

Barry nodded and wiped a tear from his eye.

"Iris and I both did," he answered quietly, "Iris is fine, but I…"

Barry shook his head.

"I don't know yet," he said, "I'm still waiting on the results from Caitlin."

"I'm sure they're fine," Wally said seriously, "What could possibly be the problem?"

Barry sighed and shook his head.

"I don't know," he said quietly, "Maybe…maybe speedsters just can't have children. Maybe I'm not compatible…or the lightning did something to me. I don't know."

Barry stared down at the table, tears filling his eyes. He could feel Joe and Wally looking at him, and it eventually became too much for him. Barry stood up quickly.

"I'm going to go check on her," he whispered, before heading over to the bathroom to console Iris.

He knew Iris would never say it out loud, but this was all his fault.

* * *

"What did you find?" Barry asked nervously, twisting his hands in anticipation.

Iris, who was sitting next to him, placed a hand on his knee to calm him. Caitlin opened her mouth to answer him, but then Barry spoke again.

"It's _me_ , isn't it?" he said in anguish, "I'm the problem. I have to be."

"No, Barry," Caitlin assured him quickly, "You're not. You're extremely fertile, actually. In fact, your sperm count was off the charts."

Barry sighed in relief.

"Thank God," he said, letting out a breathy laugh.

He had been so sure it was him. He took Iris's hand and smiled warmly at her.

"So, what's the problem then?" Iris asked Caitlin, "If Barry's so fertile, then why can't we get pregnant? This is the sixth month now."

"I don't know," Caitlin said slowly.

She eyed the two of them uncomfortably, not sure how to say what she wanted to say.

"What are you thinking, Caitlin?" Barry asked seriously, "You're thinking _something_. What is it?"

Caitlin sighed.

"I'm not exactly a sexual counselor," she said slowly, "But maybe it has something to do with the way you two are…"

Barry and Iris both blushed.

"We're having sex almost every night now," Barry said seriously, "Even when the chances are supposed to be low. I don't think that's the problem."

"I wasn't talking about the frequency of your intimacy," Caitlin said gently.

Barry's eyes widened then.

"Are you saying I don't know how to impregnate my wife?" he asked defensively.

"No, Barry," she replied calmly.

Caitlin let out a heavy sigh then.

"We know now that your powers make you incredibly fertile," she said slowly to Barry, "But there might still be a problem involving them."

"How?" Iris asked curiously.

She and Barry both stared at her with wide eyes. Caitlin sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of her nose. She really didn't want to ask this.

"Barry," she said shortly, "I'm just going to come right out and ask it. Do you use your speed…when you're being intimate?"

All three of them blushed, and Barry looked at the floor.

"I used to," he admitted, "But I haven't been now. I wanted to do this the natural way."

Caitlin looked meaningfully at him then.

"Maybe that's the problem," she suggested gently.

Barry gave her a puzzled look. Iris did, too.

"I don't follow," Iris said seriously.

"Maybe the reason you can't get pregnant," Caitlin said slowly, "Is because Barry's suppressing his powers when you two are trying to conceive."

Barry and Iris both stared at her.

"You think _that's_ the problem?" Barry said in surprise.

Caitlin shrugged.

"I don't know," she said simply, "It's just a thought. You said you wanted to do this the 'natural way,' but Barry, maybe using your powers _is_ the natural way for you. The sample you gave me had an extremely high sperm count, but…judging by how short your time was in the bathroom, you used your powers to get it."

Barry blushed and looked down at the floor in thought.

"I suppose that makes sense," he said slowly.

He smiled then and looked at Iris. She smiled back at him.

"So, I get to have the Flash back then?" she joked, squeezing his hand.

Barry laughed.

"Looks like it."

Caitlin blushed and looked away from them.

"Glad I could help," she muttered.

* * *

They had the same excited anticipation thrumming through them that they had had that night six months ago. They had been intimate almost every night this last month, but none of those nights had felt like this one. Tonight was different.

"Faster, Barry," Iris whispered between pants.

Barry's hips stuttered in their movement, his face inches from hers, as he looked into her eyes.

"Go faster, Flash," she whispered, " _Faster_."

Barry's face broke out into a wide grin, and they both smiled knowingly at each other.

And then Barry picked up the pace.

They both moaned as he went faster, _much_ faster than he had been going for the past six months. Iris could hardly get a breath in. She had almost forgotten how good this felt. Barry quickly started vibrating and moaning loudly with pleasure. The poor guy had been holding back for months, and he could now finally do what his body had clearly been aching to do all this time. Iris stared at his face in wonder, her vision blurry from the sensations her body was experiencing.

He was so beautiful like this, her superhero husband.

Iris didn't last very long once the Flash made his appearance. She came hard and fast, her orgasm drawing out much longer than it had been lately. Barry didn't last much longer after that. His thrusts suddenly became less rhythmic and more sporadic, and a few seconds later, he was coming with a loud moan, thrusting deep inside her. He paused there for a few moments, keeping himself inside her as he came down from his high. Barry was gasping for breath and covered in sweat, but his face look so satisfied.

Really, it had been a while since she had seen him look this satisfied after sex. She hadn't realized until now just how much of a difference his powers made—for _both_ of them.

Iris giggled.

"Was that as good for you as it was for me?" she laughed.

Barry gasped and gave her a crooked smile.

"You have no idea," he sighed, as he pulled out of her and collapsed next to her on the bed.

He pulled her closer to him then, nestling her in his arms.

"I love you," he whispered.

Iris smiled and snuggled closer to him, letting him wrap her in his warmth.

"I love you, too."

* * *

"Now, Barry, try not to get too excited," Iris said gently, trying to stay levelheaded.

Barry, however, was practically vibrating with anticipation.

"Are you ready?" she asked excitedly.

"More than ready," Barry said quickly, "Just look at it!"

Iris laughed and grabbed the pregnancy test off the counter. Barry flashed right next to her and looked at it over her shoulder. Both of them looked at it at the same time.

Two blue lines.


	4. Two Blue Lines

**Two Blue Lines**

* * *

"Oh my God," Iris choked, tears quickly filling her eyes as she stared at the two blue lines, "Barry."

She looked over her shoulder at him. He was smiling widely at the pregnancy test. His hand came up to cover his mouth as tears filled his eyes.

"We're pregnant," he whispered, his voice shaking with excitement, "Iris, we're going to have a baby."

Iris laughed and turned around to face him. There was no disappointed look on his face. The tears in his eyes weren't from the crushing feeling of being let down again. They were tears of happiness. They had both wanted this for so long, it hardly felt real.

"We're going to be parents," Barry choked, a few tears falling from his eyes, as he pulled her into a tight hug.

Iris wrapped her arms around him in return, a balloon of happiness inflating in her chest. She was pregnant. She was going to have Barry's child. She couldn't remember ever being happier.

"We have to call Joe!" Barry said excitedly, when they broke apart, "We have to tell him!"

Iris grinned at him.

"No," Barry said suddenly then, "No, I'll flash us over to his place, and we'll tell him in person, or no, wait. You're pregnant now. I shouldn't run you places anymore. We'll take the car, and we'll—"

"Barry," Iris said, cutting him off, "Just breathe."

Barry took a deep breath, and a laugh escaped his lips.

"I'm just so excited," he laughed, "Iris, we're going to have a _baby_!"

Iris laughed. Barry was so happy. And she loved how his first thought was to tell her father about it. She and Barry had been waiting for this for so long, it was almost hard to wrap her mind around it.

She was pregnant with Barry Allen's child.

"Maybe we should wait to tell everybody," she said gently then, "They say you're supposed to wait three months to tell people."

"I can't wait three months!" Barry said incredulously, "I can't wait to tell everyone! I just want to shout it to the rooftops!"

Iris laughed.

"Okay," she said happily, "We'll tell everyone soon. We should have it confirmed by Caitlin first, though."

Barry grinned at her.

"I love you, Iris," he said, pulling her into another hug, "I love you so much."

"I love you, too," she choked, squeezing him tightly.

Barry pulled away from the hug then, a serious look on his face.

"Can I get you anything?" he asked suddenly, speaking quickly, "Are you feeling nauseous? Hungry? Any special cravings? I'll get you anything you want!"

"Barry," Iris laughed, shaking her head.

"I mean it," he said seriously, "Anything you need, I'll get it for you."

Iris smiled and took his hand.

"I'm fine," she said, still laughing at his enthusiasm, "I'm not hungry for anything."

Barry laughed and squeezed her hand.

"Okay," he said, "But if you think of anything…"

"I'll let you know right away," she laughed in amusement.

* * *

"Congratulations! You're definitely pregnant," Caitlin confirmed, a wide smile on her face.

Barry and Iris both grinned at her. Barry sighed in content and then grabbed his wife's hand to kiss it and hold it between his.

"Thank God," Iris said happily, "I was worried you were going to tell us we had a false positive or something."

"Nope," Caitlin grinned, "You're definitely pregnant."

She became all business then.

"It's still a little too early to do an ultrasound," she explained, "Usually that's done around eight weeks, and you're only about two and a half weeks along. A lot of the other tests will have to wait as well then. Today, I'm just going to run a blood panel and make sure I have all your information from your gynecologist."

Iris and Barry both nodded seriously.

"What about my powers?" Barry asked, "Will they affect the pregnancy at all?"

Iris squeezed Barry's hand as they waited for Caitlin's reply.

"I don't know, yet," she said honestly, "I don't think they should cause any problems, though."

"Will the baby have his speed?" Iris asked curiously.

Caitlin shook her head undecidedly.

"I'm not sure," she said slowly, "There's a strong possibility Barry's powers are genetic, but I don't really know for sure. The mutation that caused his powers is located in his eight chromosome of his genetic sequence. I have no way of really determining whether it's a recessive or dominate trait, though. If it's recessive, there's a zero percent chance the baby will have his powers. If it's dominate, there's a fifty percent chance. Odds are pretty low, but it's not impossible for Barry's speed to be passed down to his offspring. I'd have to do some extensive genetic testing to find out, if you really want to know."

"What kind of testing?" Barry asked seriously.

"I probably won't be able to see unless I perform an amniocentesis," Caitlin said slowly, "It's usually only done in high-risk pregnancies, though."

"Run all the tests," Barry said immediately, "I need to know. If our baby _does_ have my speed, we need to know in case it causes any problems."

Caitlin nodded.

"I agree," she said, "I'll be sure to run all the tests when the time comes. Unfortunately, there's not much I can do now but say congratulations."

"Thank you," Iris said, grinning widely, "We haven't told anyone else yet. We wanted to be sure first."

"Joe's going to be so excited," Barry said happily, "Can we tell him now?"

"We can tell him this weekend," Iris said, smiling at him, "We'll tell everyone when they come over for dinner on Friday."

Barry grinned at her.

"Sounds like a plan."

* * *

Barry was bursting to tell someone. _Anyone_. As he went about his day, trying to act normal, he found himself wanting to tell every person he came across. The checker at the grocery store. The bored employee at the DMV. His coworkers. His friends. _Joe_. He wanted to shout it to the world! He had promised Iris to wait until Friday, though. They would tell everybody together, all at once. Even though he couldn't tell people yet, Barry couldn't stop himself from grinning constantly. He found himself whistling as he worked in his lab, and a smile spread across his face every time he thought about it. Iris was pregnant with his child.

"You seem awfully chipper lately," Julian said, when Barry walked into the lab on Friday, a huge smile on his face.

Barry shrugged.

"I'm having a good week," he said simply.

"Good week?" Julian said, shaking his head, "We're up to our eyes in cases right now. What on earth could possibly be so good about it?"

Barry shrugged again, fighting a smile. He must have been annoying the shit out of Julian these last few days.

"I'm just excited for our little dinner party tonight," he said simply, "Caitlin told you about it, right? You're coming?"

Julian nodded.

"Yes, of course," he said, "Wouldn't miss it."

Barry grinned.

"Good."

* * *

Barry and Iris just couldn't stop smiling at each other over the course of the meal. Caitlin kept giving them knowing looks, but the rest of the table was completely oblivious. No one commented on the fact Iris wasn't drinking any wine with her meal. Most of them there knew that she and Barry had been trying, and Iris hadn't been drinking for the last several months now. Julian and Cecile didn't know, but they didn't seem to notice, or at least, they didn't comment on it.

"Okay, everyone," Barry said excitedly, standing up from his chair when everyone had finished eating.

Their small conversations trailed off and they all looked at him. Barry held out his arm and Iris joined him, her side pressing against his, arms wrapped around each other's backs.

"Iris and I have something to tell you," he said, his voice shaking with excitement.

They both looked at each other, and Iris patted his arm, communicating silently that he should continue. Barry turned and looked back at everyone again. They were all looking curiously at them.

"Iris and I…" he said, a grin spreading across his face, "We're going to have a baby."

Everyone gasped and made noises of surprise. Wally grinned. Cecile squealed in delight. Caitlin smiled warmly at them, and Julian just looked shocked.

"About time!" Cisco said loudly, his face breaking out in a grin.

Amongst everyone's reactions, though, Barry and Iris both cared most about one person's in particular.

Joe was staring at them in shock, his eyes filling with tears. He covered his mouth and shakily rose from his seat.

"My baby girl," he said softly, moving to hug his daughter.

Iris laughed and hugged him back. When they broke apart, Joe sniffed and wiped his eyes before looking at Barry.

"Barry," he choked, before pulling Barry into a hug as well.

Barry hugged him back tightly, his heart swelling with happiness in the perfect moment.

"I'm going to be a grandfather," Joe said in shock when they pulled apart.

Barry and Iris laughed.

Everyone else came forward to hug them and congratulate them then.

Cisco laughed when he hugged Barry.

"I can't wait to meet Barry Junior," he said happily as they hugged.

Barry laughed and shook his head.

"When's the due date?" Wally asked excitedly.

"January 1st," Barry answered immediately.

"Ooh, a New Years baby!" Cecile squeaked happily, "This is so exciting! I'm so happy for you two! You're going to be great parents!"

"Thank you," Iris said, wrapping an arm around Barry's back again.

They all couldn't be any happier than they were in this moment. It was perfect. Well, almost perfect. Barry had a brief moment of sadness when he thought of his parents and how they weren't here to share this moment with them, but like their wedding, Barry knew that his parents were still watching over him, and they were still sharing the moment with him from afar. They would be so proud. He was going to be a father.

* * *

Iris really couldn't have asked for a better husband to be going through this with. Barry was just as invested in the pregnancy as she was, maybe even _more_ so. He was actually being a little borderline ridiculous with the way he was treating her. It was like she was some fragile flower.

He never let her lift anything more than ten pounds. He never let her stand too close to the microwave or do any house chores. And he had nearly had an aneurism when he caught her standing on a stool one day to change a light bulb.

Although Iris liked the pampering and having Barry doing all the housework at first, it was now already starting to get old. It was beginning to feel like Barry was more of her caretaker than he was her husband. And it wasn't just with the house chores.

Barry was doting on her hand and foot, but at the same time, he was neglecting her in other areas.

If Barry didn't touch her soon, Iris was seriously going to lose it. They hadn't been intimate since they had first found out the news, and Iris was now pregnant and horny, but Barry wouldn't touch her. He was always reading that damn book.

"Barry," Iris sighed, looking over to him where he was sitting up in bed, book in his lap.

Of course, he had to be shirtless. Was he seriously so oblivious to not realize how cruel that was to her?

"Hmm?" he replied, not tearing his eyes away from his page.

"Are you almost done reading for the night?" she asked impatiently, glaring at the pregnancy book in his hands.

"Almost," he murmured, completely absorbed in whatever the hell he was reading.

Iris sighed and leaned against his shoulder, looking down at the page he was on. It was all first trimester do's and don'ts. It looked incredibly boring, yet Barry was reading it as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. She hadn't seen him give even his _science_ magazines this much attention before. Feeling impatient, Iris leaned over and started kissing his neck. Barry hardly even reacted. He just kept on reading, completely absorbed in his stupid book. Iris felt her impatience grow. Barry always _loved_ when she did that, yet now, he acted like she wasn't even there.

"Barry," she whined in his ear, "You've been reading that for over an hour now. Put the book away."

"Just let me finish this chapter," he muttered absently.

"Can't you just speed read it?" she asked impatiently.

"I have to read it slowly if I want it to stay in my long term memory," he told her, his eyes still on the page, absorbing every word with rapt attention.

Iris groaned and went back to kissing his neck. When Barry still didn't respond to her, she placed a hand on his chest, rubbing small circles into it. Nothing. Iris's hand snaked down his chest then, trailing over his taut abs before traveling lower, down past his naval.

That got his attention.

"Iris!" he said in surprise, as if he just realized she was there.

Iris smiled into his neck. Finally, a reaction. Her triumph didn't last long, though, as Barry then gently grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

"Not t-tonight," he stuttered.

Iris groaned in frustration.

"Come on," she whined, "Barry, you haven't touched me in _three weeks_."

"I don't want to hurt the baby," he said seriously.

Iris rolled her eyes.

"You can still have sex while you're pregnant," she said impatiently, "Most guys love this part of it. Yet here you have your pregnant and _very horny_ wife practically climbing into your lap, and you're focused on a _book_."

"I just read yesterday that sex during pregnancy can cause minor contractions in the uterus," Barry said quickly, "What if it causes a…a miscarriage?"

"I talked to Caitlin about it, and she said it was perfectly safe," Iris said, "Actually, there are even some _benefits_ to it. Something about hormones. I didn't really understand it."

Barry gave her an unsure look then. Iris couldn't help but laugh.

"Wow, you're actually serious about this," she said in surprise, "You really intend to go nine whole months without getting laid?"

Barry laughed.

"I don't exactly enjoy it," he said, "But that was the plan, yes."

Iris rolled her eyes.

"Well, I'm not willing to wait nine months to have you," she said, kissing his neck again, "I'm pregnant and hormonal and horny, so you, as my husband, have a responsibility, Barry."

"Iris," Barry said in a strained voice, his eyes rolling when she started to suck small bruises into his neck, "We…we sh-shouldn't."

"You said you'd get me anything I needed," she reminded him.

"I was talking about food cravings," he laughed, "Pickles and ice cream. That sort of thing. Not sex."

Iris pulled away then, the smile leaving her face as she was struck by a sudden thought.

"Are you…?" she asked slowly, "Are you not attracted to me now? Now that I'm pregnant?"

Barry's eyes widened in horror.

"No," he stammered quickly, "I mean, yes. Yes, _of course_ I'm attracted to you! I don't think I've _ever_ been more attracted to you in my life, having you carrying my child. You've never been sexier to me, Iris."

Iris studied his face skeptically, but she could see just from his expression that Barry truly meant it. He really thought she was sexy while pregnant. A smile spread across her face.

"Okay then," she said happily, "So then why don't we enjoy this while it lasts? Caitlin said my hormones would balance out eventually, but for now, I just want to be touched. So _touch me_ , Barry."

Barry sighed and gave her an uneasy look. Iris pulled the best puppy dog face she could, and then she knew she had him.

Barry could never deny her anything once she gave him the face.


	5. Turn on the Light

**Turn on the Light**

* * *

"Woah," Iris said when she walked into the kitchen to find her husband at the stove, "Barry, are you using _garlic_?!"

Barry laughed.

"I am," he said, grinning at her.

"You _hate_ garlic," Iris said, raising her eyebrows at him, "Last time I ate it, you ended up sleeping on the couch just to get away from me."

Barry laughed.

It was true. Barry _hated_ garlic. He was practically a vampire with the way he evaded the stuff, whether it was him eating it or someone else. It only got worse once he got his powers. His powers made him extremely sensitive to smell, something Iris only found out after they had moved in together.

"Well, you _love_ garlic," he chuckled, "So I decided to suck it up and make garlic toast with our spaghetti. Besides, eating garlic is supposed to have a lot of health benefits."

Iris rolled her eyes. Barry had been urging her to eat all kinds of strange things lately. She didn't mind it, though. It was nice having him cook for her all the time, and she could tell his culinary skills were already improving, which was a huge bonus. Before this, Barry had only been good at making breakfast for them. Anything else, he usually failed miserably at—not for lack of trying, though.

"Do you want help?" Iris asked, looking nervously at the stove.

He really was hopeless in the kitchen.

Barry rolled his eyes.

"Any idiot can boil a noodle," he laughed.

"Says the guy who can't make mac n cheese right," she joked.

"I followed the directions exactly!" Barry said defensively, laughing and shaking his head, "I even measured out the _water_."

Iris shook her head at him.

"You're hopeless," she laughed, leaning forward to peck him on the lips.

When she pulled away, however, the smile on her face was gone.

"What's wrong?" Barry asked immediately, his eyes going wide in fear.

He flashed his hand to her stomach.

"Are you feeling any pain?!" he asked quickly, his throat closing in fear, "Contractions?! Braxton hics?!"

Iris didn't answer him. Instead, she ran to the bathroom and slammed the door. She made it to the toilet just in time to be sick. Thankfully, she hadn't eaten yet, so there wasn't much in her stomach to throw up.

"Iris!" Barry called through the door, "Are you okay?!"

"Fine," she choked, wiping her mouth.

"Can you please open the door?" he begged.

"No," she gasped, "Don't come in here. You don't need to see this."

"Iris, please," Barry urged, "Please, don't make me phase through the door."

Iris sighed.

"Fine," she said.

Before she could even rise to her feet, though, Barry was already in the room. So much for not phasing through the door.

"Are you okay?" he asked, kneeling down next to her.

"I'm alright," she said, her stomach still churning horribly.

Barry didn't look convinced.

"Was it the garlic?" he asked in anguish, "The smell?"

Iris gave him a small smile.

"It smelt good at first," she assured him, "And then it just hit me."

"I'm so sorry," Barry said, grabbing her hand.

Iris shook her head at him, smiling.

"You were just trying to be sweet," she said.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" Barry asked desperately.

"I'm fine," Iris sighed, leaning up against the side of the bathtub, "I just need a moment. It's just morning sickness—which is a _really_ dumb name for it, by the way, considering it hits me at all moments of the day."

Barry frowned at her.

"You've been getting sick?" he asked.

Iris nodded.

"A _lot,_ actually," she admitted.

Barry continued to frown at her.

"It's fine, Barry," she assured him, "It's completely normal."

"I know," he sighed, "I just wish you had told me about it."

Iris shrugged.

"It's no big deal, _really_ ," she assured him, "I didn't want you to have to deal with this part of it."

"I want to be there for you, though," he said, still frowning, "I want to be there for _all_ parts of this, even the ugly ones."

Iris smiled at him.

"That's why I love you."

* * *

Barry was practically shaking with excitement as Iris laid back on the examination table. He had been on edge all morning, which probably annoyed the hell out Julian, but he didn't really care. They finally got to see their baby today.

Barry took Iris's hand as Caitlin squeezed ultrasound gel all over her stomach. Iris grinned at him, and Barry grinned right back. Joe was standing behind him, waiting anxiously to see his grandchild. They all watched the screen in anticipation as Caitlin brought the ultrasound wand to Iris's stomach.

All they saw on the screen, though, was gray.

"Just give me a second to locate the amniotic sac," Caitlin said.

Barry felt like he was going to burst with anticipation as Caitlin moved the wand around.

"There," she said.

All they really saw on the screen was a dark mass. Joe and Iris stared at it in confusion, but Barry wasn't surprised. It was what he had been expecting at this stage.

"I just have to find a heartbeat," Caitlin muttered, angling the wand a couple different ways.

Barry nearly leapt out of his seat when they heard it from the monitor. A soft fluttering sound, like a hummingbird's wings. Iris squeezed Barry's hand and smiled at him. Caitlin toyed with the ultrasound machine then.

"Just cleaning up the image for you guys," she explained, hitting a few buttons on the screen.

A few moments later, the image was refocused, now looking a lot clearer.

"Oh my God," Iris gasped when she saw the little blurb on the screen.

Barry stared at it, tears filling his eyes, as a smile spread across his face.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" Joe asked excitedly.

Caitlin laughed.

"It's too soon to tell," she said, "I won't be able to tell you that until we reach around eighteen to twenty weeks."

Barry couldn't take his eyes off the screen, staring at the image with wet eyes. It didn't really even look like anything yet, but it meant _everything_ to him, that little blurb. He felt like such a sap when the tears escaped his eyes, but he didn't care. He looked at Iris, who also had tears in her eyes. He felt his heart swell, as he looked at his beautiful wife, sharing this moment with her. It was like his heart had grown, had swelled up to twice its size to make room for his future child. He couldn't remember ever feeling this much _love_ before.

"I don't care if it's a boy or a girl," he choked, looking back at the screen, "As long as it's healthy."

"Everything seems to look good," Caitlin said happily, "The heartrate is a little faster than the norm, though."

Barry stared at her, his eyes going wide.

"Does that mean…?"

Caitlin shook her head.

"I can't say for sure, yet," she said quickly, "The heartrate isn't _that_ much out of the norm, so it's impossible to say."

"I _have_ been eating a lot," Iris said, "I feel like I've been eating a lot more than what's normal for pregnancy."

"It's true," Barry chuckled, "She has me running all over the city to satisfy her cravings."

"Good thing you have a speedster for a husband," Joe chuckled.

Iris laughed.

"Yeah, well, it also means I'm potentially eating for a speedster baby," she pointed out, grinning at Barry, "You impregnated me with a little alien."

"Sorry," Barry chuckled, putting a hand on Iris's stomach, where there wasn't any gel.

"Make that _two_ little aliens," Caitlin said suddenly, smiling as she looked at the screen, "There's a second amniotic sac."

The other three all stared at her in shock.

" _Twins_?!" Joe asked incredulously, "They're having twins?!"

"It would appear so," Caitlin said happily.

"Oh, my God," Iris whispered, staring at the screen.

Barry squeezed her hand and laughed. Two babies. They were going to have _two_ babies!

"Are you sure?" Iris asked, still in shock.

Caitlin nodded.

"Yep," she replied, a small laugh escaping her, "See? There's a second blob."

They could see it, just like the first one. Barry felt his heart swell again.

"I shouldn't be surprised," he laughed, "Twins run in my family."

"I forgot about that," Iris muttered.

Barry had never made a huge deal out of it, but he had actually been a twin. His twin had been stillborn, though. He had never got to meet his twin brother.

"My grandfather was a twin, too," he told them, "Usually it skips a generation, though."

"Well, not in your case," Caitlin said, smiling warmly at the screen.

"We're going to have two babies," Iris choked, grinning at Barry.

Barry grinned and wiped the tears from his eyes. If all the months of trying and being disappointed had led them to this, then it was all worth it.

* * *

"Allen!" Singh called out when he caught Barry trying to sneak back into the precinct after a particularly long lunch.

"Sir," Barry said nervously.

Singh couldn't help but notice that Barry didn't have the usually fearful look of being caught on his face. In fact, he looked like he was fighting a smile.

"You've been gone for almost _two hours_ ," Singh said reproachfully, "Last I checked, that's way over the normal time permitted for lunch breaks."

"Sorry, sir," Barry said quickly, "I had a morning appointment to get to, and Julian was going to cover the lab for me while I was gone."

"Julian isn't here to cover for you whenever it's inconvenient for you to be at work," Singh persisted, "I suggest you schedule your dentist appointments for more appropriate times."

"Sorry, sir," Barry said seriously, "It won't happen again. The appointment was actually for Iris. She had to go into work this afternoon, but she had the morning off, so it made sense to schedule her appointment for this morning. I couldn't miss it."

Singh frowned at him.

"Is everything okay?" he asked in concern.

If Barry's wife was sick, then Singh could certainly understand why he had taken a good portion of the morning off. To his surprise, though, Barry grinned at him.

"Everything is great," he said happily, "It was actually an ultrasound appointment."

Singh raised his eyebrows at him, and Barry continued.

"Iris and I are going to have a baby," he said excitedly, "Twins, actually. We just found out."

Singh quickly felt a smile spreading across his face.

"Barry," he said, putting a hand on the man's shoulder, "That's the best news I've heard all day. Congratulations!"

"Thank you," Barry grinned.

Singh shook his head in shock as he removed his hand from the kid's—from the _man's_ —shoulder. Barry Allen, the baby of the CCPD, having a baby of his own. It was a lot to wrap his mind around.

"I guess this explains why you've been practically skipping around the precinct lately," Singh laughed, shaking his head.

Barry grinned at him.

"I have a lot to be happy about," he said simply.

"I'm sure Joe is so proud," the captain said happily.

"He's definitely more than a little excited to be a grandpa," Barry laughed, "Don't tell him I told you this, but I think I saw a few tears from him during the ultrasound this morning. I don't think I've _ever_ seen Joe cry before."

Singh laughed.

"I'll keep the secret," he chuckled, clapping Barry on the shoulder, "Congratulations, Allen. You'll make a great dad."

With that, Singh walked away from the young CSI, a small smile on his face. He couldn't even remember why he had been angry with the kid in the first place.

Barry Allen, having twins.

* * *

"Dude, what about our video game nights?" Cisco asked through the com system as Barry ran his usual lap through the city, "And our Wrath of Con movie nights? You're going to be so busy with two mini Barry's you won't have time for me anymore."

"Cisco," Barry laughed as he ran, "Are you seriously jealous of my unborn children right now?"

Cisco snorted.

"Of course not," he scoffed, "You know Uncle Cisco is going to spoil those kids rotten. I'm just worried you're going to go and grow up on me once you become a dad."

Barry laughed into his coms.

"You realize I've been married for over a year now, right?" he chuckled, "And we still play video games all the time."

"Yeah, but last time, Iris walked in and you all but kicked me out of the loft so you could spend time with her instead," Cisco pouted, "Your wife sure knows how to kill a bro night."

Barry laughed and shook his head, even though Cisco couldn't see him.

"And now you're going to have your hands full with twins," Cisco sighed, "Why'd you have to go and have two of them, anyways? You just couldn't keep it in your pants, could you?"

Barry laughed and rolled his eyes as he ran.

"What can I say?" he chuckled into his coms, "I've got mad skills."

"Please," Cisco snorted, "It took you a full seven months. So much for being the fastest man alive."

Barry suddenly heard a low groan over the com systems.

"Guys," Wally snapped, "Can we please not talk about Barry impregnating my sister over the com system?!"

Barry felt his face heat up slightly as he ran.

"Whoops!" Cisco laughed, "Sorry, man. I forgot you were on the line."

"Sorry, Wally," Barry said quickly, choking back a laugh.

"It's fine," Wally sighed, "I just finished my loop through the east side. I'll be back at STAR in two minutes."

"Ten-four," Barry replied, "I'm just going to run a second route through the mid-district. I haven't been for a run in ages. I've been too busy."

"More like _getting_ busy," Cisco added, causing Wally to groan again.

"Cisco," Barry sighed.

"Seriously, stop," Wally groaned, "That is so _wrong_."

"Alright, alright, I'm done," Cisco chuckled.

"And for the record, Cisco," Wally said through the coms, " _I'm_ the babies' uncle."

* * *

Iris watched in amusement as Barry sifted through color swatches, deep in concentration as he compared different shades of yellow.

"Barry," Iris said softly.

"Do you think we should go gender neutral?" he asked, looking at the swatches, "Yellow's gender neutral, right?"

"Barry," Iris said again.

"Or should we wait until we know the genders?" he asked, thinking aloud, "It gives us more options. Then again what if it's a boy and a girl? I guess we could always paint each side of the nursery different—"

" _Barry_."

Finally, Barry tore his eyes away from the color samples and looked up.

"I'm still in the first trimester," Iris pointed out.

Barry nodded.

"I know," he said quickly, "I just—"

"—like to do things fast," Iris laughed, rolling her eyes, "You did this when we moved here, too. I get that you're excited, but we can take things slow. We don't have to decide on a nursery color in the first month."

Barry laughed lightly.

"I know," he sighed, "I know I'm being a little over the top with everything. I'm just excited. I don't feel like there's much I can do right now…besides hold your hair back while you puke."

Iris wrinkled her nose.

"I love that you're excited, Barry," she said, smiling widely at him, "But I feel like you're moving so fast, you're not giving yourself the change to stop and take it all in."

"Iris, trust me," Barry said seriously, "I'm taking it all in. It's all I've been thinking about."

Iris smiled sadly at him. She shouldn't have expected anything less from Barry. He had always wanted nothing more than to start a family of his own, ever since his family died all those years ago. Growing up, Barry always had people who loved him. He started a new family with her and her father and now with Team Flash.

But it wasn't quite the same.

"Just promise me one thing," Iris said after a moment, her smile widening.

Barry's eyebrows furrowed as he waited for her to continue.

"You won't paint the nursery without me," she said.

Barry laughed.

"I don't think you should help me paint," he said seriously, "You shouldn't be around all those fumes. Besides, I can have the whole thing painted in just a few minutes, so—"

"You know what I mean," Iris persisted, a small smile on her face, "Promise me you're going to take this all slowly and not go racing off to buy every cradle and stroller you see. We're going to do this at a normal pace. Only one of us has superspeed here."

Barry smiled at her.

"Maybe, soon to be _three_ of us," he said, placing a hand on her stomach, "You're going to have your hands full, Mrs. West-Allen."

Iris smiled and shook her head.

"Lord, help me," she laughed lightly as Barry leaned in for a kiss.

She couldn't remember ever being happier in her life.

* * *

Barry burst into the med bay, his heart racing and his nerves on end as his eyes sought out his wife. He immediately spotted her, laying in the medical bed. She was covered in sweat, and her dark hair was sticking to the sides of her face, but she still looked beautiful.

"I came as fast as I could," Barry gasped, flashing over to the bed where his wife lay.

"So did they," Iris said softly, a small smile on her lips.

She then showed him the small bundle in her arms.

"Caitlin said it had to break some kind of record," Iris laughed softly, "Fastest delivery in history."

The breath caught in Barry's throat when he looked at the small bundle in her arms. A tiny face came into view, and Barry felt his heart swell.

"Bar," Joe said softly.

Barry forced his eyes away from his newborn child's face to look up him. Joe was standing there, on the other side of the bed, a second bundle curled in his arms.

"Would you like to meet your son?" Joe choked, a wide smile on his face.

Barry quickly wiped the tears from his eyes and nodded, extending out his arms to take the small bundle from Joe. His breath caught in his throat when he held his baby son for the first time.

"He's beautiful," Barry choked, staring at his sleeping son through watery eyes.

He looked back at Iris, who was beaming at him.

"And our daughter?" Barry asked shakily, "Is she…?"

"She's healthy," Iris assured him, looking down at the baby girl in her arms, "They both are. They're perfect."

Barry nodded, and a weak laugh escaped his lips as his tears spilled over.

"Are you two finally going to tell us the names?" Cisco asked impatiently as he entered the room, a wide grin on his face as he looked at the new parents.

Barry and Iris both smiled at each other before Iris spoke.

"They're names are D—"

" _Barry. Barry, wake up."_

Barry's eyes snapped opened and were flooded by darkness. It took him a moment to realize he was laying in bed, and a small hand was gently shaking him awake.

"Barry," Iris said in a strained voice from next to him in the dark.

Barry sighed and a small laugh escaped his lips.

"What is it this time?" he asked in amusement, "Strawberries, Tai food, or chocolate? Or are you finally going to mix it up for once? I know this great bagel place in Cleveland that's open till—"

"Barry," Iris cut him off, "Turn on the light."

The smile slid from Barry's face in an instant. He couldn't see Iris in the dark, but just from her voice, he knew immediately something was very wrong. Within a second, Barry reached over and flicked on the lamp next to his side of the bed, quickly spinning back around to face Iris. Her eyes were red and puffy, and her face was contorted into an expression of anguish.

"Barry, something's wrong," she gasped, clutching her abdomen.

The air seemed to stop moving into Barry's lungs. His hand flashed out of its own accord to rest on Iris's stomach.

"What is it?!" he asked urgently, "What's wrong?!"

Iris shook her head, and a few tears escaped her eyes. She curled up slightly and grimaced, squeezing her eyes shut.

"I don't know," she gasped, "It could just be cramps, but…"

Barry stared at her wide eyes filled with terror.

"We need to get you to STAR Labs," he said immediately, throwing back the covers to climb out of bed.

As soon as the covers were pulled away, though, they both saw it. The sheets beneath Iris were stained crimson.


End file.
